Five More Sweetgreen Stores Will Open in Boston in 2016

Sweet Green’s first Boston location, on Boylston Street. / Photo via Facebook

Since Massachusetts’ first Sweetgreen opened in Back Bay in 2013, Bostonians have proven the locally-sourced salad chain has as much cachet here as it does in its hometown of Washington, D.C. Fueling up at the fast casual spot during peak, weekday hours can take the majority of your lunch hour—Sweetgreen might even be known for its long lines—but the company announced today that Boston will soon have more access to its greens, grains, and soups.

Sweetgreen is doubling its local presence in 2016 with five new stores:

• Downtown Crossing, 13 School St. (slated for spring) (UPDATE: Sweetgreen opened on School Street in May, Eater reports.)
• Fenway, 132 Brookline Ave. (slated for summer) (UPDATE: Sweetgreen opens in Fenway on July 2.)
• Downtown, 87 Summer St. (slated for summer)
• Harvard Square, 39 JFK St. (slated for fall)
• South End (at Ink Block), 354 Harrison Ave. (slated for end of fall) (UPDATE, September 13, 2016: Sweetgreen is now open at Ink Block.)

When Sweetgreen opened its fifth Mass. location in December, founder Jonathan Neman said while every store is specifically designed, in general, the company is prioritizing online and mobile ordering and streamlined pickup at new locations to help mitigate wait times.

Boston’s educated populace is one of the reasons his company does well here, Neman said previously, and the local team of employees he’s built also contributes to his desire to expand in the area. The rapid growth in Boston reflects Sweetgreen’s strong supply network, he added today. “Over the last three years we’ve established great relationships that allow us to serve sustainable, transparent, seasonal food and expand into new communities.”

Some of the purveyors for Boston’s Sweetgreens include Ward’s Berry Farm in Sharon, Lanni Orchards in Lunenburg, Czajkowski Farms in Hadley, Hubbardston dairy Westfield Farm, and Iggy’s Bread from Cambridge.

Neman founded Sweetgreen with a mission to make healthy food accessible.

“There is a lot of conversation happening around the topic of healthy food at the moment, and while the rise in healthy fast casual options is reflective of the fact that a movement toward better food is well underway, we’re just getting started,” he said. “We’re hoping that by growing our footprint in Boston, we can educate our communities, change the way people think about food and catalyze serious change in the food system.”

Sweetgreen currently has two Back Bay restaurants, as well as outposts in Fort Point, Chestnut Hill, and Lynnfield. The downtown, Fenway, South End, and Cambridge locations are welcome additions to the lunch landscape—we just hope it doesn’t deter former Celtic Ray Allen from bring his organic brand to Boston.